Senate defeats Republican-led health-care repeal effort

By
Felicia Sonmez

Updated: 7:15 p.m.

The Senate on Wednesday defeated a Republican-led effort to repeal the entire national health-care overhaul, with lawmakers voting strictly along party lines. The decision underscores the hurdle that the GOP faces in that Democratic-majority chamber as it tries to overturn the law.

All 50 Senate Democrats present and one independent voted against the repeal, while all 47 Republicans voted in favor. Sens. Joe Lieberman (I-Conn.) and Mark Warner (D-Va.) were not present. The measure was proposed by Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.).

Republicans needed the support of 13 Democrats for the measure to move forward because of a Democratic-led procedural move that set up a 60-vote hurdle.

Democrats' unanimous opposition to the repeal came even though several vulnerable lawmakers up for re-election in 2012, including Democratic Sens. Joe Manchin (W.Va.), Claire McCaskill (Mo.), Jon Tester (Mont.) and Ben Nelson (Neb.), had come under pressure to support repeal.

While the full repeal measure fell short, a separate health-care amendment offered by Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.) sailed through the Senate with bipartisan support. The Stabenow proposal, which would repeal an unpopular tax-reporting provision of the law that opponents say overburdens small businesses, passed on an 81-to-17 vote. The House has not yet considered that proposal.

A third amendment offered by Sen. Carl Levin (D-Mich.) was defeated on a 44-to-54 vote. That amendment, which was offered shortly before Wednesday's proposals came to the floor, was similar to Stabenow's but would have paid for the change by ending tax breaks for oil companies.

All three amendments were offered to an unrelated bill on funding of the Federal Aviation Administration. They came two days after a federal judge in Florida struck down the entire health-care law. The legal challenge to the law is expected to be decided ultimately by the Supreme Court.

Senate Republican leaders pushed back against the idea that the vote was a symbolic one.

"There's a narrative I've seen and read out there that this was somehow a futile act because Republicans didn't have the votes to repeal Obamacare, but I have to tell you, these are the first steps in a long road that will culminate in 2012 whereby we will expose the flaws and the weaknesses in this legislation, where the courts will continue to review them ... and we know that path that leads to the Judicial Branch is going to end up in the United States Supreme Court," Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) said at a press conference held by GOP leaders after Wednesday's vote.

Earlier Wednesday, lawmakers took to the Senate floor, the TV airwaves and to a Judiciary Committee to heatedly debate the health-care law.

In one of the more contentious moments on the Senate floor, Sen. Barbara Mikulski (D-Md.) delivered a blistering speech accusing Republicans of offering "one more hollow, symbolic pander-to-the-masses amendment."

"If you want to rewrite the bill, keep your promise, Republican Party, that if you want to repeal, then let's go replace," Mikulski said. "I want to hear their ideas for replacement. I challenge them right here, right now, today on this amendment."

Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) criticized an estimate by the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office that repealing the health care law will increase the deficit by $230 billion.

"What I'm saying is, garbage in, garbage out," McCain said.

Wednesday's amendments were the first in the Senate dealing with health care reform, but they likely won't be the last. South Carolina Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham, who on Tuesday introduced legislation with Sen. John Barasso (R-Wyo.) that would allow states to opt out of provisions of the health care law, has signaled that Republicans may offer more health-care-related amendments.

And amid increasing debate over the constitutionality of the health care overhaul, Sen. Bill Nelson (D-Fla.) introduced a resolution on Wednesday requesting that the Supreme Court conduct an expedited review of the law.

Meanwhile, the Senate Judiciary Committee held its first-ever hearing on the constitutionality of the health-care overhaul. Five legal experts were called to testify: Democrats called Oregon Attorney General John Kroger and former solicitors general Walter Dellinger and Charles Fried as witnesses while Republicans called Georgetown University law professor Randy Barnett and attorney Michael Carvin.

The debate centered on the question of whether Congress overstepped its constitutional authority when it passed the health care law last year. Proponents of health care reform argue that Congress was exercising its constitutional power to regulate commerce, while opponents say that Congress went too far by requiring that those who don't buy health insurance face a tax penalty.

Fried, Kroger and Dellinger testified that they believed the individual mandate is constitutional.

"I come here not as a partisan for this act," said Fried, who served as solicitor general under Ronald Reagan. "I think there are lots of problems with it. I'm not sure it's good policy. I'm not sure it's going to make the country any better. But I am quite sure that the health care mandate is constitutional."

Carvin and Barnett argued otherwise. Carvin, who served in the Reagan administration as well as on George W. Bush's legal team in the 2000 Florida recount, called the individual mandate an "abuse of the commerce power." He added that the argument over activity versus inactivity "is not some semantic lawyer's trick, something we came up with in response to the health care act. It's a core principle that goes to the most basic constitutional freedoms and the limits on federal enumerated powers."

Barnett, who argued a key commerce clause case before the Supreme Court in 2004, said that the "individual mandate is neither necessary nor proper."

Some Senate Republicans noted Wednesday that the "1099" amendment offered by Stabenow was nearly identical to one offered by Sen. Mike Johanns (R-Neb.).

"It turns out Senator Johanns did such an outstanding job raising awareness about the 1099 requirement that Democrats took the idea and are now claiming it as their own, which is fine with us," McConnell said on the Senate floor. "It's not a bad precedent actually. We've got a lot of other good ideas that we'd be happy to share."

Stabenow spokesperson Cullen Schwarz said that Stabenow was "glad" that Johanns also supported 1099 repeal and noted that she was co-sponsoring his amendment as well as offering her own. Schwarz added that Stabenow and her supporters believed that her version was best because it exempts the Social Security Administration from potential cuts as a way to pay for repeal.

"Senator Stabenow just wants a common sense fix to this problem and hopes to have strong bipartisan support to remove this onerous requirement on small businesses," Schwarz said.

The Congress should stop their partisan bickering and concentrate on creating
jobs. This country needs jobs much more than anything else the Congress has seen
fit to waste the peoples time on for the past 2 years.

Sure it's unconstitutional to force someone to buy health insurance, just like it's unconstitutional to force anyone to buy car insurance or pay into social security or medicare.

And how about forcing companies (who are persons too, after all) to pay a share of social security as well as unemployment compensation? That's clearly unconstitutional too. Or making them pay minimum wage or time and a half for overtime. Shameful.

Let's get rid of all these liberal restraints on freedom and go back to 1931 when out-of-work people could sell apples on the street with dignity and die in their own time without having to put up with doctors and expensive medications.

Think about it. Bring in 30 million more people into the system. Hospitals will reduce their charges because fewer beds will be empty and they won't be giving away free health care through their emergency rooms. That will definitely bring down premiums for everybody.

The bipartisan GAO reports that the healthcare bill makes a substantial reduction in debt.

The court ruled it unconstitutional for 26 states, so it is now dead. No further discussion is needed or warranted. Now, let the Supreme Court do their job and bury this travesty.

Also, all of you lazy bums who keep yelping... "Where's the jobs?" to the GOP, need to get off your asses and find a job like all the good conservative, hard working Americans do. Oh, but that's right, you are holding out for a "better position", or your unemployment has not run out yet, right? It is YOUR responsibility to get off these blogs and go out and find a job, you lazy liberals! Entitlements are over with. Go get a job!!

Most people know there are much better ways to truly reform healthcare/insurance.
There are common sense ways to reduce costs, but ObamaCare Does NOT REDUCE COSTS.
I know the Individual Mandate IS A Major PROBLEM; its unconstitutional..but
Failure to Reduce core costs, while adding 30 Million people to be covered... is a close second, too.
Its as if the people on the heathcare reform committee "failed to see the big picture" altogether;
What-on-earth were they thinking when they put ObamaCare together?
The only sense I can make of it is that politics came before common sense, and we ended up with a 2700 page Monstrosity that
takes over Student Loans, but fails to address the #1 healthcare/insurance issue:
skyrocketing insurance premiums due to skyrocketing Core Costs!!!

In fact, under new health care reform your health insurance company will no longer be allowed to cancel your policy if you get sick, we should be doing this already! search online "Wise Health Insurance" it is a good place to find insurance if you have illness like me.

Info 53, you are example A of why you and the Democrats are just clueless.

"Democrats voted for the law simply because they back it." WTF does that mean!? Gee, I'm glad they voted for it because they backed it, because what is the alternative? They voted for it to screw the public? Hmmm, maybe we are on to something with your defense mechanisms here. Say meaningless and vague comments, then project your party's behaviors onto the other party, and readers will just embrace your rhetoric as the gospel and hoist you on their shoulders and dance around the room singing Koombayah?

Wow, losing power does make people desperate, eh? We watched the Republicans make that mistake, and then the Democrats learned what, two wrongs make a right?

Hey, you voted for this misrepresentation!

Oh, and last I checked, the majority of independent voters, who as a group outnumber either Democrap or Repugnacant voters, do not support this legislation. Soooo, readers, who ya gonna believe? Democrat agenda seekers, or, independent observers?

Obamacare is struck down and void right now. Obumble must appeal to Federal Appeals Court to bring it back. Then the States will appeal to the Supreme Court. We just wanted the 22 Comrades up for re-election in 2012 on the record. Funny how that Constitution and Judicial Branch protect us from Tyranny. Libs should read it sometime.

In this case, those who who ignore history will not get a chance to repeat it. With 23 Democrats up for re-election with Obama in 2012, his coat-tails will be in tatters, and they will lose the Senate. Too bad it will be too little too late..

If you want someone to blame, think of John McCain and his dimwitted, seldom informed but never in doubt Sarah Palin. If somehow she wins the nomination, the Democrats will bury us and ruin this once great country. Sarah Palin is the national idiot, though the difference between her and people like maxine Waters and Sheila ("two Vietnams") Jackson is that the mainstream is too smart to show theose dummies for what they are.

I feel soooo sorry for Sen. McCain. He should have some aides/handlers critique his blogs and speeches. Lately he never sounds like he was presidential in the first place. All he could come up with in denouncing the CBO was "
garbage in , garbage out" What was that all about. He is losing it and with it his credibility. I used to admire him and now I'm embarassed by him.
Congratulations to those 4 Dem. Senators who, while up for re-election, and lobbied fiercly by the tea and the Repubs, stood for us, all of the people, the 75 per cent of us who do NOT want this massive bill repealed. I think that within the next two years we will finally have UNIVERSAL COVERAGE and the INS companies be damned. Why should those of us paying into insurance pay for those who have none and use the emergency room for regular doctor's visits.
We'll remember those Senators who had the courage and conviction to care for ALL OF US> We ALL need the congress health plan. It is only FAIR

President Abraham Lincoln spoke of government by, for, and of the people.
Since when does a minority, of the Senate, constitute the majority?
Clifford Spencer

________

When the people comprise ARTIFICIAL persons, in the case of health insurance companies, ARTIFICIAL persons who commit felonies. The big crook on campus, Sen. McConnell, sotto voce and sometimes without shame, works his magic for these persons. He definitely earns the bucks they fork over to him.

The CEO of IBM offered the Obama administration a free software program that would have cut Medicare and Medicaid fraud by almost a trillion dollars, but he was turned down – twice.
"We could have improved the quality and reduced the cost of the healthcare system by $900 billion...I said we would do it for free to prove that it works. They turned us down, "IBM chairman and CEO Samuel Palmisano said during a Sept. 14, 2010 taping of the Wall Street Journal’s Viewpoints program.
FOX News confirmed that a second meeting between Palmisano and Obama administration officials yielded the same result: "No thanks!" – even though the proffered "fix" would have eliminated 90 percent of the nation’s health care deficit – and cost taxpayers nothing it didn’t perform as guaranteed.
Yet Medicare/Medicaid fraud is still rampant. According to the Manhattan Institute’s Steven Malanga,"abuses of Medicaid (alone) eat up at least 10 percent of the program’s total cost nationwide -- a waste of $30 billion a year. Unscrupulous doctors billing for over 24 hours per day of procedures, phony companies invoicing for phantom services, pharmacists filling prescriptions for dead patients, home health-care companies demanding payment for treating clients actually in the hospital -- on and on the rip-offs go."
Now that Republicans are trying to repeal Obamacare and drastically cut federal spending at the same time, perhaps Palmisano can be persuaded to offer his services again.

You are right. So how about you tell us how Socialists continue to hurt the American people? Please give us some examples. I mean, haveing police and fire departments? Schools, roads, water........What exactly have Socialists done? And please tell us what Republicans and Conservatives have done for this country over the past 30 years that have benefited middle and lower class Americans?

Well apparently it was a big deal considering how Republicans and posters have been whining and crying over it. Or, is this just something else you all liked up until the President said he had no problems with it coming out of the bill?

Gee, what a surprise. It was just another GOP dog and pony show to make their base believe they're actually trying to do things. I thought the GOP promised to focus on jobs and the economy, but so far nada. They're more interested in going after woman and healthcare. Reagan's solicitor general has come and made a case for the Healthcare Reform bill being perfectly constitutional. Only 25% of the country want it repealed. Guess that would be your rabid base.

Gee, what a surprise. It was just another GOP dog and pony show to make their base believe they're actually trying to do things. I thought the GOP promised to focus on jobs and the economy, but so far nada. They're more interested in going after woman and healthcare. Reagan's solicitor general has come and made a case for the Healthcare Reform bill being perfectly constitutional. Only 25% of the country want it repealed. Guess that would be your rabid base.

Gee, what a surprise. It was just another GOP dog and pony show to make their base believe they're actually trying to do things. I thought the GOP promised to focus on jobs and the economy, but so far nada. They're more interested in going after woman and healthcare. Reagan's solicitor general has come and made a case for the Healthcare Reform bill being perfectly constitutional. Only 25% of the country want it repealed. Guess that would be your rabid base.

Gee, what a surprise. It was just another GOP dog and pony show to make their base believe they're actually trying to do things. I thought the GOP promised to focus on jobs and the economy, but so far nada. They're more interested in going after woman and healthcare. Reagan's solicitor general has come and made a case for the Healthcare Reform bill being perfectly constitutional. Only 25% of the country want it repealed. Guess that would be your rabid base.

You know what we need concerning this bill? Revolt. Egyptian-style. Yeah..."Throw rocks like and e-gypt-ian." That'll work. If not, then get your guns and tell them what's what that way, right? That always gets 'em.

Why bother with debate and compromise? Get yer molotov's and lets go!

Posted by: ashtar377 | February 2, 2011 9:02 PM |

= = = = = = = =

That's a righty for you. Something actually worked out for the good guys - the American people, not BIG BUSINESS - and here comes the threats of violence, that old right-wing standby. Your propagandist should be proud of you.

Gee, what a surprise. It was just another GOP dog and pony show to make their base believe they're actually trying to do things. I thought the GOP promised to focus on jobs and the economy, but so far nada. They're more interested in going after woman and healthcare. Reagan's solicitor general has come and made a case for the Healthcare Reform bill being perfectly constitutional. Only 25% of the country want it repealed. Guess that would be your rabid base.

Gee, what a surprise. It was just another GOP dog and pony show to make their base believe they're actually trying to do things. I thought the GOP promised to focus on jobs and the economy, but so far nada. They're more interested in going after woman and healthcare. Reagan's solicitor general has come and made a case for the Healthcare Reform bill being perfectly constitutional. Only 25% of the country want it repealed. Guess that would be your rabid base.

Gee, what a surprise. It was just another GOP dog and pony show to make their base believe they're actually trying to do things. I thought the GOP promised to focus on jobs and the economy, but so far nada. They're more interested in going after woman and healthcare. Reagan's solicitor general has come and made a case for the Healthcare Reform bill being perfectly constitutional. Only 25% of the country want it repealed. Guess that would be your rabid base.

You know what we need concerning this bill? Revolt. Egyptian-style. Yeah..."Throw rocks like and e-gypt-ian." That'll work. If not, then get your guns and tell them what's what that way, right? That always gets 'em.

Gee, what a surprise. It was just another GOP dog and pony show to make their base believe they're actually trying to do things. I thought the GOP promised to focus on jobs and the economy, but so far nada. They're more interested in going after woman and healthcare. Reagan's solicitor general has come and made a case for the Healthcare Reform bill being perfectly constitutional. Only 25% of the country want it repealed. Guess that would be your rabid base.

Gee, what a surprise. It was just another GOP dog and pony show to make their base believe they're actually trying to do things. I thought the GOP promised to focus on jobs and the economy, but so far nada. They're more interested in going after woman and healthcare. Reagan's solicitor general has come and made a case for the Healthcare Reform bill being perfectly constitutional. Only 25% of the country want it repealed. Guess that would be your rabid base.

Gee, what a surprise. It was just another GOP dog and pony show to make their base believe they're actually trying to do things. I thought the GOP promised to focus on jobs and the economy, but so far nada. They're more interested in going after woman and healthcare. Reagan's solicitor general has come and made a case for the Healthcare Reform bill being perfectly constitutional. Only 25% of the country want it repealed. Guess that would be your rabid base.

There go the Republicans again, wasting time when the country is going down the tubes and corporations keep shutting down factories and moving them to low-wage countries like China, that subsidize the cost of exports.

Instead of wasting time on repeal and replace with nothing, Republicans should be working to come up with a replacement plan agreeable to the American public. In fact, we should be allowed to vote on it.

Instead of wasting time on repeal and replace with nothing, Republicans should be working on a plan to reduce the deficit, one that clearly spells out who gets hurt and who benefits. Wanna bet they will never reveal this information, only make wild and vague claims about their plans. Its their modus operandi, one we should be very familiar with by now.

"Here's my take why the Democraps in the Senate voted as they did: they must think... "

Love the wishful thinking analysis, and the gyrations required to confirm the writer's beliefs in the face of the facts.

Democrats voted for the law simply because they back it. The repeal failed because it had no chance. A majority of Americans SUPPORT the law, and the Supreme Court will declare it constitutional because it is.

Poor deluded Obamaite. How sad. Obamacare most certainly pays for illegal aliens. The Dumbocrats made sure that there is no citizenship requirement. Wake up and stop voting for Dumbocrats against your own self interest.

Poor deluded Obamaite. How sad. Obamacare most certainly pays for illegal aliens. The Dumbocrats made sure that there is no citizenship requirement. Wake up and stop voting for Dumbocrats against your own self interest.

Posted by: oldno7 | February 2, 2011 8:39 P
--------------
More lies by ignorance through Fox News. Where is your proof oh master of the portmanteau(look it up)?

Here's my take why the Democraps in the Senate voted as they did: they must think (and hope after voting as they did) that the Supreme Court will rule the law unconstitutional and then get to redo the law and thus keep their seats. If only the future was so predictable. And, if in fact the Court does let the law stand and the public as a majority is still very dissatisfied with it, then I sense the future that is a bit more predictable will be that the Senate will be a Republican majority come January 2013. Gotta love people who want it their way irregardless of how things play out.

But that is why they are politicians, right? The rules and the boundaries don't apply to them in their world. Unfortunately, we as the public have to occupy some space in their world, and isn't that inconvenient for them?

Also, entertain this thought: As we follow congresswoman Giffords' progress, if this health care legislation is so wonderful and fair, will all who go through this kind of traumatic situation access all the services and interventions the congresswoman is getting? I wonder what is the progress of the other 16 victims to this point in time? I respect their privacy if they do not want their health care interventions discussed in the public eye, but I feel it is fair to ask if there is equality with health care access.

Isn't that what this legislation was supposed to start insuring, literally and figuratively?

That means nothing. The health-care bill doesn't pay for illegals. That will still go on not matter what. It is for people that are citizens jingowad.

****************

Poor deluded Obamaite. How sad. Obamacare most certainly pays for illegal aliens. The Dumbocrats made sure that there is no citizenship requirement. Wake up and stop voting for Dumbocrats against your own self interest.

This web sight is truly the harborage of insanity. The lib inmates are running the asylum. The leftie monkeys are in charge of the ZOO. It is scary to see the idiocy and lunacy being spouted in this arena;; America does need a health care plan that includes psycho therapy for libocrats.

The public needs to be reminded again and again of how the Socialists continue to hurt the American people and America.

We need to work now on removing every Socialist party member that stopped repeal of Obamacare.

If one of these is your Senator, get on the email and phones now to tell everyone you know how these folks are hurting our country. Set up a meeting to work on finding candidates that will toss these crooks out in 2012. Start your own investigation to find out how many of these folks are getting kickbacks or are personally breaking the laws so we can make an issue out of it and call for their impeachment.

They have already forgotten the anger of the American public. Their arrogance won't last long, however, when we remind them they are removable in the next election.

liberty first 1776 -- you appear to be another of our intellectually-challenged freedom loving americans for freedom. i know it a little much to expect you to wade through judge vinson's opinion since it wasn't written in crayon and was more than a paragraph long, but even the activist judge declined to enjoin the law. btw brother, it is 2-2 with 12 dismissals in the federal district courts. and don't hold your breath on the supreme court deciding this -- it could be more than a year from now and you would definitely turn blue by then.

liberty first 1776 -- you appear to be another of our intellectually-challenged freedom loving americans for freedom. i know it a little much to expect you to wade through judge vinson's opinion since it wasn't written in crayon and was more than a paragraph long, but even the activist judge declined to enjoin the law. btw brother, it is 2-2 with 12 dismissals in the federal district courts. and don't hold your breath on the supreme court deciding this -- it could be more than a year from now.

Now that these Dumbocrats are on record as voting against the Constitution of the United States as well as against the will of the American people, they will have to try to defend those votes in 2012. Goodbye Dumbocrat majority in the Senate and goodbye "president" Obama. President Palin will be happy to sign a repeal of this unconstitutional mess.

Like an earlier comment said, Now is the time to repeal all these lying self absorbed Republicans. They are wasting money like crazy and no jobs created.
Just the GOP lead House alone has wasted 7.5 million on cocktail parties and retreats. All tacked on to the debt. When will these House Republicans actually work for the people.

OK, that's done. Now a quick overturning of Vinson's weak decision in Florida, and it's checkmate. Health care reform is benefiting millions of Americans; they want the benefits it provides. Millions more will benefit in the future from the milestone law. Good.
You rightwing libertarian/conservative Republicans, get ready to ride Dumbo off into the sunset on a regular basis.

I'm sick and tired of freeloaders getting their healthcare in the ER and my family and I paying for it through our hardearned tax dollars.
*****
Then urge your elected representatives to step up the deportation of illegal aliens.

While the rest of the country and world is focusing on more pressing issues. The GOP wastes our time and tax money. Though, what will be responded to on this post is more untrue ripostes and a hypocritical stance to pay for others health but not require them to pay for it them selves. When someone who doesn't have health care gets in an emergency we all pay for it. I am sure another moron will state yeah but it is their right to decide. Please, more hypocrisy to just stand against any progress with absolutely no solutions.

I can't believe they didn't accept this:The CEO of IBM offered the Obama administration a free software program that would have cut Medicare and Medicaid fraud by almost a trillion dollars, but he was turned down – twice.
"We could have improved the quality and reduced the cost of the healthcare system by $900 billion...I said we would do it for free to prove that it works. They turned us down, "IBM chairman and CEO Samuel Palmisano said during a Sept. 14, 2010 taping of the Wall Street Journal’s Viewpoints program.
FOX News confirmed that a second meeting between Palmisano and Obama administration officials yielded the same result: "No thanks!" – even though the proffered "fix" would have eliminated 90 percent of the nation’s health care deficit – and cost taxpayers nothing it didn’t perform as guaranteed.
Yet Medicare/Medicaid fraud is still rampant. According to the Manhattan Institute’s Steven Malanga,"abuses of Medicaid (alone) eat up at least 10 percent of the program’s total cost nationwide -- a waste of $30 billion a year. Unscrupulous doctors billing for over 24 hours per day of procedures, phony companies invoicing for phantom services, pharmacists filling prescriptions for dead patients, home health-care companies demanding payment for treating clients actually in the hospital -- on and on the rip-offs go."
Now that Republicans are trying to repeal Obamacare and drastically cut federal spending at the same time, perhaps Palmisano can be persuaded to offer his services again.

If the argument - telling people to buy health insurance is unconstitutional, how can the constitution disallow -
Gay Marriages, Use of drugs, Abortion etc, etc???
Argument seems to beat "commonsense- the most uncommon of the senses", in the present days.

"Obamacare has been ruled unconstitutional by a federal judge. There is nothing to discuss until the SCOTUS hears an appeal, and possibly overturns the federal court ruling.

Obamacare is dead for now. If Obama ignores the order, he is in contempt of court, and should be impeached."
------------------------------
President Obama hasn't DONE anything to warrent impeachment. What order are you referring to?

It looks like the GOP will embark on a campaign to repeal the PPACA which will increase debt. The campaign itself will cost $100 of millions in legal fees. If successful, the repeal of the PPACA will increase deficits through 2021 by $230 billion. That's certainly a drop in the bucket compared to other GOP plans for the future.

The atypical GOP sound bites ring hallow on deaf ears (the American people are sick of all the Republican code words/phrase), ... and to hear the maverick/not maverick get behind them with all his mighty force (err confusion), creates pure comedy!

Mitch is a PURE FOLLOWER...OK, Mitch you became Sinner-tor, but you don't have any new ideas. For instance, you should repeal certain areas of the Health Care LAW!! No, instead you want the ENTIRE LAW....D.U.M.B.A.S.S.

Now, we know you're being paid by hell-th care rethuglican lobbyists. So you can be the next WELFARE-CHECK-DISTRIBUTOR like your cry-baby girlfriend bonehead-boehner.
---------
Maybe if even one democrat had read this bill..it wouldn't have been rammed down our throats. When you excise a cancer you don't just get part of it...you excise the whole thing. This pig of a bill needs repealing and with this and I'm sure more votes to come....the next cycle will see the libs become once again irrelevant. Can the country hand on another 2 years until the riff raff is shown the door?

Who needs the threat of "death panels" the Repubs always warn us about when the party of "NO" is doing just fine with: "NO" healthcare for anyone that cannot afford Concierge Medicine or is not earning at least 60-100k per annum. With that kind of "health plan" under wraps with the Republican Party of "NO" it truly is the plan to kill off many in the Nation, right quick. If repubs had it their way, they would start another war as well to increase revenue as is their normal revenue boosting scheme that always thins out the population too-as in Bush/Iraq,etc.The list goes on...

So,what would happen if the Republican Controlled US House refuses to fund all of
Obamacare until Obama & the Democrat US Senate agree to repeal it totally? And,why
don't the House simply refuse to pass and/or fund any new programs proposed by either Barack Obama or the Democrats in Congress now then? Oh yes the joys of Gridlock may soon appear! Thank God!

And,all this did was to assure that the majority of remaining Democrats in Congress
along with OTO (One Term Obama) Barack Obama will be voted out of office in 2012 &
2014 for sure after this Democrat arrogance
and total incompetent stupidity.

Mitch n Boehner:WHERE ARE THE JOBS???? IF you two and et al (Republicans) would STOP trying to hate on our Africian American president you all could support the progress we have been blessed with since president Obama. President Obama and his administration have done all the HEAVEY lifting while you liars have continued to stop our progress. It is time for Americans to reach and email and/or call Boehner (202-225-6205) and tell him we do NOT want their silly games to continue for their rich companies and the wealthiest folks. Middle class and low income families are NOW feeling the benefits of healthcare reform, including seniors on Medicare. Republicans need to cancel their own Federal health insurance coverage AND show us a "REPLACEMENT" healthcare plan before they continue to waste time and our tax dollars. These Republicans should receive a message in 2012 via our votes that they are out as a majority and their miniority should be reduced further in the Senate. All they want to do is stop president Obama and what they need to do is try to become as humble as our president and then maybe they will learn to have compassion for Americans who sent them (Republicans) to congress to: SERVE THE PEOPLE, not their select ones. WHERE ARE THE JOBS MCCONNELL AND BOEHNER????

So,what would happen if the Republican Controlled US House refuses to fund all of
Obamacare until Obama & the Democrat US Senate agree to repeal it totally? And,why
don't the House simply refuse to pass and/or fund any new programs proposed by either Barack Obama or the Democrats in Congress now then? Oh yes the joys of Gridlock may soon appear! Thank God!

And,all this did was to assure that the majority of remaining Democrats in Congress
along with OTO (One Term Obama) Barack Obama will be voted out of office in 2012 &
2014 for sure after this Democrat arrogance
and total incompetent stupidity.

Democrats Constituents....
Millions of working poor
Millions of uninsured children
Millions of middle class workers
Millions of unemployed and uninsured

See the difference?

Posted by: logcabin1836 | February 2, 2011 7:15 PM |
--------------
Like the commercial with the girl running in and telling mom she just got accepted to the best school. Flash to dad and what he heard was " I just got accepted into the most expensive school. Here is how I read your post.

Republicans
Working conservative Americans
Pay the highest % of federal taxes
Give more to charity to the tune of 3 to 1
Ready to curtail the size, scope, and spending of gov't

Democrats
Let's create another trillion dollar entitlement
The taxpayer can pay for all illegals...they vote for the democrats so we will just make them all Americans as we subsidize their existence.
Generational welfare is needed since the minorities have been oppressed
C'mon, spread the wealth around is too an American ideal.

I do see the difference. Do you understand we are broke and don't have the money to pay for any of it and are presently paying 4 BILLION A DAY JUST TO TREAD WATER!? I think you don't.

Mitch is a PURE FOLLOWER...OK, Mitch you became Sinner-tor, but you don't have any new ideas. For instance, you should repeal certain areas of the Health Care LAW!! No, instead you want the ENTIRE LAW....D.U.M.B.A.S.S.

Now, we know you're being paid by hell-th care rethuglican lobbyists. So you can be the next WELFARE-CHECK-DISTRIBUTOR like your cry-baby girlfriend bonehead-boehner.

Mitch is a PURE FOLLOWER...OK, Mitch you became Sin-nator, but you don't have any new ideas. For instance, you should repeal certain areas of the Health Care LAW!! No, instead you want the ENTIRE LAW....D.U.M.B.A.S.S.

Now, we know you're being paid by hell-th care rethuglican lobbyists. So you can be the next WELFARE CHECK handler like your cry-baby girlfriend bonehead-boehner.

Right wing Republicans have brought this once great middle class nation to its knees and forced millions into the lower middle class or into poverty. With their silly and nonsensical rants about taxes and deficits, which only recently started to bother them, they cry out about the skys that will fall and the galactic evils about to visit us because of healthcare reform.

Alas, alsck! The nation will collapse because of healthcare reform.

These duplicitous Republicans are veering so far to the right that images of totalitarian states murkily show their ugly face.

I'm sick and tired of freeloaders getting their healthcare in the ER and my family and I paying for it through our hardearned tax dollars. Some of these freeloaders are young people with moderate to high incomes who don't believe they will ever get sick or experience an emergency that will require serious care. No more.

Right wing Republicans have brought this once great middle class nation to its knees and forced millions into the lower middle class or into poverty. With their silly and nonsensical rants about taxes and deficits, which only recently started to bother them, they cry out about the skys that will fall and the galactic evils about to visit us because of healthcare reform.

Alas, alsck! The nation will collapse because of healthcare reform.

These duplicitous Republicans are veering so far to the right that images of totalitarian states murkily show their ugly face.

Republicons need to repeal what will destroy their campaign cash base. This would be the Patriot Act, Illegal Wiretaps, and Homeland Security. All are unconstitutional however, so this places Republicons in a bind of either supporting the constitution or their campaign cash.

Where are the jobs, Repubs? Are you lib-fucs this stupid when you get in the morning or do you have to work at it all day?

Like the old adage states; Never argue with a fool.

--------------------------------------------

Another old adage states: It cuts both ways. The GOP control of the house and a lot more control of the senate now. You wackjobs were obsessed with blaming Obama for the mess W created because the Dems were in control So now that the GOP has more power... Where. Are. The. Jobs. Mitch?

The Republicons need to realize that the hate that carried them to a partial victory in November will only take them so far.

The Republicon lies also will not do them much good. They ran on a platform of creating well-paying jobs and they have failed to deliver. All they want to do is repeal the lives of their fellow citizens.

The Republicons south of the Mason-Dixon Line attitude is growing old and tiresome.

The democrats are holding on to this POS bill but come 2012 it will be gone as they will. It is apparent that those who support this bill either have Mommy and Daddy paying for thier left wing indoctrination at some college so they think money is magic stuff coming from a tree or they are the leeches of society who think they have the right to what others have earned.

The democrats are holding on to this POS bill but come 2012 it will be gone as they will. It is apparent that those who support this bill either have Mommy and Daddy paying for thier left wing indoctrination at some college so they think money is magic stuff coming from a tree or they are the leeches of society who think they have the right to what others have earned.

tonyjm wrote:
It is hard to believe that the president wouldn't take this offer:The CEO of IBM offered the Obama administration a free software program that would have cut Medicare and Medicaid fraud by almost a trillion dollars, but he was turned down – twice.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

I HATE mf's that LIE.

Ommitting the larger part of the story is LYING.

The item that you are referring to concerns the government as a whole, and IT infrastructure in the government specifically!

jeanniemac wrote.....
Thousands of pink slips were sent to Congress some months ago, warning the incumbents not to vote with the radical in the Oval Office. In the coming elections, those who would not vote to repeal Obamacare, which was drawn up by a Soros sponsored group, the Apollo Alliance, will be voted out of office.

----------------------------
Of all the folks who have been quoted as being participants in the writing of the Health Care law, the Apollo Alliance never seems to come up except on right wing blogs. I suspect that this will show on FactCheck.org sometime soon as one of the many misrepresentations of fact about the health care law.

People will vote for who they want to vote for. The one thing that we can be fairly sure about is that the American voter is among the most ill-informed practitioners of democracy on the planet. That goes for Democrats as well as Republicans.

Those who think that the healthcare bill will be good for the middle class better guess again. You will be the ones paying for the healthcare in this country while the losers all collect the benefits of it. It is okay, Senator McConnell, we will just have to vote those dumb democrats out that we did not get the last time. I can't wait til the people who think they want all of this healthcare crap, read the part about trying to sell your home and having to pay an additional sales tax on it to sell it. Sales tax on a house has nothing to do with healthcare whatsoever. So read the darn bill and tell me it does not stink. Wake up you dead beats.

There are 23 senators running for re-election that are going to have to explain why they voted not to repeal this worst-law-of-all-time. Their opponents will beat them silly with their support for monstrous Obamacare.

The forces of Darkness (Republicans) were defeated this evening by the forces of light (Democrats). The forces of darkness wanted to reinstate preexisting conditions, take healthcare away from millions of poor children, put Americans at the mercy of Healthcare Insurance Company Death Panels that had routinely decided who's policies to cancel on the eve of a life saving surgery, or deny covering cancer treatments. Yes, The forces of darkness were defeated tonight, thank God.

The forces of Darkness (Republicans) were defeated this evening by the forces of light (Democrats). The forces of darkness wanted to reinstate preexisting conditions, take healthcare away from millions of poor children, put Americans at the mercy of Healthcare Insurance Company Death Panels that had routinely decided who's policies to cancel on the eve of a life saving surgery, or deny covering cancer treatments. Yes, The forces of darkness were defeated tonight, thank God.

"It's important to keep your commitments to the American people," McConnell said in an appearance on Fox News. "This is what we told them we would do and we are doing it. They voted for us, we had a very good election in 2010. They expect us to keep our commitments, and we intend to do it."

I didn't vote for you Mitch, nor for any of your fellow GOP wackjob buddies, and I never will.

Don't the Republicans EVER get tired of screwing the poor, the elderly, and anyone else who's not terminally greedy and ethically bankrupt enough to lie, steal and cheat for a career like they do? These scummies have only ONE healthcare plan: Don't get sick. But if you DO get sick. die quickly so it doesn't cost too much money. Wouldn't want that upper 2% to go without their tax cuts!

Even President Reagan's guys are in favor of the health care bill and his Solicitor General has stated today that the law is most definitely constitutional. President Reagan would be appalled with today's Republican Party.

The insult "teabagger" is inaccurate, as teabags were not invented until 1903 and the Boston Tea Party took place in 1773.
Thousands of pink slips were sent to Congress some months ago, warning the incumbents not to vote with the radical in the Oval Office. In the coming elections, those who would not vote to repeal Obamacare, which was drawn up by a Soros sponsored group, the Apollo Alliance, will be voted out of office.

Posted by: JEANNIEMAC | February 2, 2011 6:53 PM | Report abuse //

The evil liberal billionaire George Soros. Hey JEANNIEMAC, you hate Soros, why not silence him in a way even the liberals (like me) can agree with?

TAX HIS WEALTH 74%! PRIOR TO REAGAN GIVING SOROS A TAX BREAK, NO ONE HEARD OF HIM NOR HIS BILLIONS BECAUSE HE NEVER HAD BILLIONS!!!!

So tax him 74%. Agree? If not?

THEN DON'T BRING UP HIS NAME EVER AGAIN!!!!! I like to see him silenced by taxing him 74% of his wealth

Even President Reagan's guys are in favor of the health care bill and his Solicitor General has stated today that the law is most definitely constitutional. President Reagan would be appalled with today's Republican Party.

How outrageous. Mormons, Donohue Catholics and Evangelicals all agree the poor, sick and children don't have health care as a result of Jesus Christ's vengeful wrath for their non-believer sloth, pre-existing conditions and inability to get jobs in Bush's depression.

Failed? Hardly. Why would you be so stupid as to bundle your dwindling political capital on a doomed program. Ignore the happy talk about winning 5-4 in the supreme court, they won't. Obamacare was unconstitutional from the get go, and the same clowns that declared the DC and Chicago gun bans would prevail are the ones spouting this nonsense about Obamacare "consensus" constitutionality.
So you are now nailing the coffin lid shut on any hopes of retaining power in 2012.
All of your bloggers, wp spin masters and pundits won't make a difference.
Wake up and bail while you can

Even President Reagan's guys are in favor of the health care bill and his Solicitor General has stated today that the law is most definitely constitutional. President Reagan would be appalled with today's Republican Party.

So since republicans seem to be keen on complaining about how much money gets wasted by various things...just how much money have they wasted with this futile attempt to repeal health care? How many thousands or millions of dollars were wasted on drafting this, on printing costs, time wasted on votes and other debate and speeches on this in both the house and senate? SO I guess abortion is next. When do we actually get to the jobs issue? What happened to that being the top issue?

So since republicans seem to be keen on complaining about how much money gets wasted by various things...just how much money have they wasted with this futile attempt to repeal health care? How many thousands or milloions of dollars were wasted on drafting this, on printing costs, time wasted on votes and other debate and speeches on this in both the house and senate? SO I guess abortion is next. When do we actually get to the jobs issue? What happened to that being the top issue?

Willseattle; You should not be so hard on OBUMBLER [OBAMA], he is doing the best he can, and besides with sharpies like you obviously a graduate of the public school system, 500,000 plus 500,000 plus 500,000 does NOT EQUAL 1.2 MILLION, HOW ABOUT 1.5 MILLION, unless you are not counting all those SAVED OR SHOVEL READY JOBS HE PROMISED. WOW THIS person is breathtaking/

The insult "teabagger" is inaccurate, as teabags were not invented until 1903 and the Boston Tea Party took place in 1773.
Thousands of pink slips were sent to Congress some months ago, warning the incumbents not to vote with the radical in the Oval Office. In the coming elections, those who would not vote to repeal Obamacare, which was drawn up by a Soros sponsored group, the Apollo Alliance, will be voted out of office.

Judge Vinson's ruling voids the law until it's reinstated, if ever, by the USSC. Also, Obama's administration is failing to cease and desist implementation of this non-existant law, which makes them in contempt of court and in contempt of their oaths of office to uphold the law and the Constitution. Since Monday, Obama's regime has been lawless, and now, justice must be done.

Since it failed as everyone knew it would I guess the whole exercise was just a political stunt and a big waste of time. If the Republicans ever want to get back to doing the nation's business, here's an idea for free: you could put a solar or wind factory in every state in the country for a lousy 5 billion dollars. That's less than the ethanol subsidies for one year. And maybe the Dems would like to get on board a real investment which would pay for itself many times over and create jobs too.

Hooray democrats for sticking together for a change. Wonder if McCain thinks the tax cut extension for America's wealthiest Americans is garbage in and garbage out as well -- oh, no, that would just be garbage in because you have no problem with the fact that the rich get richer and the poor get poorer and the middle class disappears. It's the new republican mantra. BTW, the republicans blocked the "doc fix."

All of you liberal morons who are claiming that a "low turnout" was the reason for Republican victory should really take another look at your base. Doesn't that speak volumes as to the laziness of your base?

-Yet the "middle class" gave them back the House. Care to spin again loser?

Posted by: LibsRidiots | February 2, 2011 5:41 PM | Report abuse

+++++++++++++++++

You Teabagger morons won a low turnout mid term election that no one was paying attention too because your billionaire overlords (Koch Brotherds, Dick Armey etc) filled your empty heads with BS propaganda that made you low IQ cave dwellers do what you always do - militantly go out and vote against your own self interests.

So far I haven't seen the House Repugs move on anything that pertains to JOBS, which is exactly why they are going to be out on their arses in 2012 when the rest of America shows up to vote.

Spin that, Sparky...

------------------------

Yet, they are already spinning the improvement of the economy to Republican victories in the 2010 election.

AMERICA'S NEW MIDDLE CLASS;
A single woman with [3] illegitimate brats getting an EBT every month, as well as WIC, getting a housing subsidy or mortgage assistance, living LARGE with a 52 inch plasma TV, I-phone,X-box 360, i-pad, 3 pair of $200.00 Gucci shoes; a Gregorio handbag, 6 Oscar De Laurenta pants suits and a Lexus parked out front of the federal housing project? THAT is what the librocrat whiners are calling middle class? Sounds like BLT income redistribution to me.

So does MConnell and the republicans want America's seniors who received $250 last year when the Afordable Care Act passed to give the money back? Any of the teabaggers who received the money give it back? Is McConnell going to give up his government run health care?

1- Further deregulation of the insurance industry, because apparently the problem with healthcare is we are too tough on the insurance companies.
2- End the ability of patients harmed by unsafe practices to sue, because that 3% of healthcare dollars wasted on this is more onerous than the profiteering by the healthcare industry
3- Replace Medicare with vouchers to make sure that healthcare for seniors replicates healthcare for everyone else, a multi-tiered system based on ability to pay.
4- Kill of Medicaid because poor people apparently aren't deserving of healthcare.

Republican lawmakers constantly claim that a majority of Americans favor repeal of the healthcare law. However, a closer look at the polls show that most would favor repeal of only parts of the law. This excludes those who favor a wait and see attitude. There are also those who oppose the law because they don't feel it goes far enough. This latter group is totally ignored in the debate.

You Teabagger morons won a low turnout mid term election that no one was paying attention too because your billionaire overlords (Koch Brotherds, Dick Armey etc) filled your empty heads with BS propaganda that made you low IQ cave dwellers do what you always do - militantly go out and vote against your own self interests.

So far I haven't seen the House Repugs move on anything that pertains to JOBS, which is exactly why they are going to be out on their arses in 2012 when the rest of America shows up to vote.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Wow -- lots of venom there....and I always love a good spew with the word "teabagger" (supposed to be a cut, I think).
FYI -- teabagging is a sex act....ask your father.

And when are you going to realize that the Republicans plus the Tea Party voters are going to toss the BO administration out in 2012.

And where are the jobs? That is up to the BO administration (senate + pres.)and with all the carp they have figured out to kill business (jobs)employment will have to wait until BO is GONE in 2012.

Check the November election results for wind direction if you really need to.

You Teabagger morons won a low turnout mid term election that no one was paying attention too because your billionaire overlords (Koch Brotherds, Dick Armey etc) filled your empty heads with BS propaganda that made you low IQ cave dwellers do what you always do - militantly go out and vote against your own self interests.

So far I haven't seen the House Repugs move on anything that pertains to JOBS, which is exactly why they are going to be out on their arses in 2012 when the rest of America shows up to vote.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Wow -- lots of venom there....and I always love a good spew with the word "teabagger" (supposed to be a cut, I think).
FYI -- teabagging is a sex act....ask your father.

And when are you going to realize that the Republicans plus the Tea Party voters are going to toss the BO administration out in 2012.

And where are the jobs? That is up to the BO administration (senate + pres.)and with all the carp they have figured out to kill business (jobs)employment will have to wait until BO is GONE in 2012.

Check the November election results for wind direction if you really need to.

Let's see libocrats; Repubs have been office [1] one month;Obama has been in office [24] months; obamanomics has destroyed [6] million jobs and you dung beetles are screaming "where are the jobs", do you asinine fools really believe that crap that dribbles out of your pie hole?It is refreshing to realize that there are libs who continue to make idiots of themselves in public.

"Seriously folks, the ridiculous call of the Democrats in the Senate for Republicans to magically provide an overnight replacement of the healthcare bill breeds irresponsibility as big as the monster HR Reform they created unconstitutionally! "

Overnight replacement? It's been nearly a year since ACA was passed. It's been three months since an election in which the Republicans claimed they were ready to lead and would repeal and replace. Have they breathed a hint of what their replacement might look like? In the words of their speaker, "Hell no."

And they say this won't be the last try. When are they going to wake up and create some jobs?

Congressional bozos are GRANDSTANDING. They PRETEND there is value in the (IN)action of going through motions SYMBOLICALLY ATTEMPTING SOMETHING THAT REALLY CANNOT BE DONE (and some perhaps even persuade themselves of the validity of their own propaganda --- but if one hypothesizes THAT, then "we" have to ALSO consider "OUR" OWN PROCLIVITY TO ELECT FOOLS!).

This whole operation is undertaken TO FEND OFF, for as long as possible, RECOGNITION of the INcapacity of "our" political process to ACTUALLY deal with the REAL ECONOMIC problems of the day. The rabbit keeps running to the very last second, even when the outcome of “the chase” is inevitable, to stave off the killing bite of the wolf for as long as possible.

Do they REALLY suppose they can endlessly MISdirect "popular" attention by "goosing the rubes" with HYPED-UP NONSENSE?! They CAN'T repeal health care reform WITHOUT DUMPING EVEN FURTHER ON MILLIONS OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE ALREADY BEEN REDUCED BY THEIR MISMANAGEMENT TO A POSITION OF NOT BEING ABLE TO AFFORD HEALTH CARE COVERAGE! Does ANYONE REALLY imagine that they can beguile "We the (small) People" to meekly go back to the status quo ante --- tolerating MIS”leadership” continuing to pour endless UN”FUNDED” bazillion$ into ENDLESS WARS while more and more of “We the (small) People” are reduced to living miserable existences and dying of preventable and/or curable diseases?? Then what do they imagine the "mood of the people" would be COME THE NEXT election??!

And they ALSO could not ACTUALLY "REFUSE TO RAISE THE DEBT CEILING" without setting off A REALLY BIG "run on the bank", were "OUR BANKER" CHINA (Hillary Clinton’s phrase, in one of the WikiLeaks revelations) to start suffering substantial losses THAT WOULD PROVOKE THEM TO TAKE MEASURES TO CUT STILL FURTHER LOSSES --- AND ULTIMATELY "BAIL OUT" COMPLETELY! (I don’t know whether very many folks have NOTICED, but it WASN’T really “THE BIG BANKS” that got bailed out back in 2008! ACTUALLY, IT WAS THEIR BIG INVESTORS AND BONDHOLDERS!) And THAT TOO would, by the time all the blood congeals, hardly curry “our” politicians much favor with their constituents!

No, I think they could not POSSIBLY be that stupid and actually get elected --- OR AT LEAST I HOPE NOT!

But all THAT does then is to bring things back to "square one" ---
SO WHERE ARE THE JOBS??

“We” are going to have to actually WORK our way out of all this, and ACTUALLY PAY OFF “OUR” DEBTS! But “we” are ALSO going to have to GET TRULY SERIOUS ABOUT NOT RE-INCURRING THEM AGAIN IN THE FUTURE --- and ALSO about ACTUALLY ABANDONING “OUR” LITTLE OIL-BASED “EMPIRE” THAT IS WHAT REALLY GIVES RISE TO THE “MESS”!!

Better get SERIOUSLY busy REALLY IMPLEMENTING all that “ALTERNATIVE ENERGY” TECHNOLOGY, folks! In reality, it GENUINELY DOES EXIST --- but it has BEEN STYMIED FOR MANY YEARS by really QUITE UNSCRUPULOUS “vested” interests THAT HAVE LONG BEEN LINING THEIR POCKETS AT THE EXPENSE OF ALL THE REST OF US!

-Yet the "middle class" gave them back the House. Care to spin again loser?

Posted by: LibsRidiots | February 2, 2011 5:41 PM | Report abuse

+++++++++++++++++

You Teabagger morons won a low turnout mid term election that no one was paying attention too because your billionaire overlords (Koch Brotherds, Dick Armey etc) filled your empty heads with BS propaganda that made you low IQ cave dwellers do what you always do - militantly go out and vote against your own self interests.

So far I haven't seen the House Repugs move on anything that pertains to JOBS, which is exactly why they are going to be out on their arses in 2012 when the rest of America shows up to vote.

Seriously folks, the ridiculous call of the Democrats in the Senate for Republicans to magically provide an overnight replacement of the healthcare bill breeds irresponsibility as big as the monster HR Reform they created unconstitutionally! It takes a lot of work and bipartisan cooperation to create a legitimate HR reform that makes common sense and reduces the cost of healthcare.
If Republicans tried to create a HR reform of their own, it would give Democrats a decent weapon to attack the GOP. Luckily, the GOP isn't falling for the trickery of Senate Democrats who showed they were masters of deceit by use of back room deals and threats.
It is time to start over.

Seriously folks, the ridiculous call of the Democrats in the Senate for Republicans to magically provide an overnight replacement of the healthcare bill breeds irresponsibility as big as the monster HR Reform they created unconstitutionally! It takes a lot of work and bipartisan cooperation to create a legitimate HR reform that makes common sense and reduces the cost of healthcare.
If Republicans tried to create a HR reform of their own, it would give Democrats a decent weapon to attack the GOP. Luckily, the GOP isn't falling for the trickery of Senate Democrats who showed they were masters of deceit by use of back room deals and threats.
It is time to start over.

Anyone who thinks Rasmussan or Fox Opinion Polls are legit, their brain matter is gone. These polls only cater to Republicans. They do not or will not take into account Democratic views. Same with CBS or ABC Polls for the Democrats. True Polls are independent of both Political Party's. They take into account all views. And most independent polls show that as of today 72% of the people polled don't want the Healthcare Bill repealed.
One reason asked is why? And most answered it is saving them money. I myself, Is saving up to 50 dollars a month thanks to lower Premiums and Co-pays. And I pay for my own insurance. So, it is pretty clear that the GOP wants repeal so their own campaign coffers will grow for the next election. They are pawns in the Insurance Companies hands and have outright lied to the American People. Lies equal campaign funds. The GOP should be focusing on creating jobs instead of wasting the taxpayers money. Just with Cocktail Parties and retreats the GOP have already
added millions to the debt. 4 Parties and two retreats since they gained the House and not one job created. And that is the most in History for an incoming Political Party. So we know where their priorities are.

Anyone who thinks Rasmussan or Fox Opinion Polls are legit, their brain matter is gone. These polls only cater to Republicans. They do not or will not take into account Democratic views. Same with CBS or ABC Polls for the Democrats. True Polls are independent of both Political Party's. They take into account all views. And most independent polls show that as of today 72% of the people polled don't want the Healthcare Bill repealed.
One reason asked is why? And most answered it is saving them money. I myself, Is saving up to 50 dollars a month thanks to lower Premiums and Co-pays. And I pay for my own insurance. So, it is pretty clear that the GOP wants repeal so their own campaign coffers will grow for the next election. They are pawns in the Insurance Companies hands and have outright lied to the American People. Lies equal campaign funds. The GOP should be focusing on creating jobs instead of wasting the taxpayers money. Just with Cocktail Parties and retreats the GOP have already
added millions to the debt. 4 Parties and two retreats since they gained the House and not one job created. And that is the most in History for an incoming Political Party. So we know where their priorities are.

Anyone who thinks Rasmussan or Fox Opinion Polls are legit, their brain matter is gone. These polls only cater to Republicans. They do not or will not take into account Democratic views. Same with CBS or ABC Polls for the Democrats. True Polls are independent of both Political Party's. They take into account all views. And most independent polls show that as of today 72% of the people polled don't want the Healthcare Bill repealed.
One reason asked is why? And most answered it is saving them money. I myself, Is saving up to 50 dollars a month thanks to lower Premiums and Co-pays. And I pay for my own insurance. So, it is pretty clear that the GOP wants repeal so their own campaign coffers will grow for the next election. They are pawns in the Insurance Companies hands and have outright lied to the American People. Lies equal campaign funds. The GOP should be focusing on creating jobs instead of wasting the taxpayers money. Just with Cocktail Parties and retreats the GOP have already
added millions to the debt. 4 Parties and two retreats since they gained the House and not one job created. And that is the most in History for an incoming Political Party. So we know where their priorities are.

YAWN.....someone wake me up when the extremist Republicans decide to do something to help the middle-class instead of their usual playbook of always looking for ways to screw them.

I've got news for the extremist Republican party:

Now that you have some actual power again (the House) you won't be able to get away with spending all of your time throwing verbal bombs at the Dems, going golfing and then hitting the DC cocktail circuit at night every day.

You either CREATE JOBS or you will be gone in 2012 so fast that your heads will spin.

When does intellectual seriousness compel people to present a real, actionable, and plausible plan that covers the uninsured, or else abandon the pretense that they want them covered? We have been debating health care reform that is like Obamacare since well before the ‘08 election. We’ve been debating the actual legislation for years now. So: when does it become incumbent on those opposed to PPACA to present a viable alternative or else abandon the pretense that they want coverage for the uninsured at all? Is there a specific date when I should expect a viable, realistic plan to emerge from the Republican leadership, one that actually could be passed as the “replace” part of repeal and replace? Is the time horizon literally endless? Ross Douthat, to pick just one, has written for ages about endorsing a conservative alternative to Obamacare. How long is he willing to wait? When can we fairly call him on it if such an alternative isn’t forthcoming?

Me, personally, well. I think what is taken for libertarian or conservative economic policy is flatly incompatible with the goal of covering all people. The “free market,” as conventionally defined, can’t provide adequate, affordable coverage to the sick or the old or the infirm. I’m happy to be proven wrong, though. So ante up. Show me your version. I don’t love Obamacare. I think it’s a weak, insufficient compromise. But I had to set aside my dissatisfaction in order to support a qualified improvement. I think others can do the same.

That's it, republican nitwits, don't try to stimulate the economy or create any jobs, just sit around and waste taxpayer money trying to repeal a bill that brought great benefits to the middle class (we know how you hate that, and hate anything that impacts the profits of your corporate masters).

That's it, republican nitwits, don't try to stimulate the economy or create any jobs, just sit around and waste taxpayer money trying to repeal a bill that brought great benefits to the middle class (we know how you hate that, and hate anything that impacts the profits of your corporate masters).

That's it, republican nitwits, don't try to stimulate the economy or create any jobs, just sit around and waste taxpayer money trying to repeal a bill that brought great benefits to the middle class (we know how you hate that, and hate anything that impacts the profits of your corporate masters).

Republicans cannot govern unless it is to start a war, raise their salaries or payoff the guys that sent our jobs overseas. Why worry about healthcare when the Republican Supreme Court has already decided this just like Bush V Gore

Posted by: imaldridge

_____________________________________________

Agreed. Rethuglicans only care about making the working poor (formerly the American middle class) poorer, sicker, dumber and more violent.

It's a sad state of affairs when the corporate "mainstream" media controls virtually all the newsmedia outlets and excrete their right-wing garbage on our airwaves.

dottydo wrote....
Repeal it or go to prison for breech of the oath to the Constitution looks to be the the deal they are going to have to play with.

It appears that the people are fed up with both corrupt partys playing with their wallets and lives.

------------------------------
Ok, dottydo, what "breech of oath" are you referring to? Uphold the Constitution? Even federal judges can't decide if the law is constitutional or not, although 14 of 16 so far seem to be leaning that way.

Most of the posts here are complete nonsense and name calling. This is NOT intelligent debate.

Fact one: All polls show strong support for covering pre-existing conditions.

Fact two: All polls show strong support for covering adult children up to age 26 on their parent's plans.

Repealing the whole law would remove these highly favored, already implemented, components of the law.

As to the opponents of the law, I have yet to hear any rational discussion of the actual elements of the law. It has only been talking points that are completely false, without merit, spun to match focus group studies by the GOP propoganda machine.

Requiring people to buy insurance is, in principal, no different than requiring people to buy liability insurance to drive a car. And, as noted elsewhere in this post, the idea came from Republicans and was added as a compromise to drop the public option. This is not a valid or important point.

So beyond that, what other parts of the law dont you like? The 1099 paperwork requirement, OK let's fix that.

What else? Actually most of you posters out there have no idea what is in the law, you are just name calling and piling on with nonsense.

Some symbolic gesture, Republicans. Why didn't you do something effective instead of waste everyone's time with your repeal nonsense that's going to get vetoed. A more honest symbolic gesture would have been each and every one of you, claiming you are against government healthcare, cancelling your government healthcare insurance that you are enjoying on our dime and going out and each of you buying private health insurance policies.

How clueless do your supporters have to be to fall for your hypocricy, it's so blatant.

In 1993 the GOP demand was for the mandate. You keep calling this "Obamacare" but it's your plan, and the public option has been taken out of it.

Again, what a bunch of hypocrites, repeating over and over again the word, "Obamacare" ti facilitate a deliberate misinformation campaign.

Did you forget what Goebbel's said about that? He wrote, "Propaganda must label events and people with distinctive phrases or slogans...they must evoke desired responses which the audience previously possesses...they must be capable of being easily learned...they must be utilized again and again..."

"....THEY MUST BE BOOMERANG-PROOF."

Oops. You venal hacks forgot.

There's youtube.

I hope your past pronouncements - especially those of you still in office - where you claimed health care reform had to have a mandate, get uploaded all over youtube.

Carvin contended that the health-care law's individual mandate "obviously compels citizens to engage in a contract with a wealthy corporation,"

So--now Republicans are NOT the party of big corporate money? (even more than the Ds) The individual mandate was originally a Republican idea designed to stop single-payer. I agree with Carvin that if we got wealthy corporations out of the insurance business that we could have cheaper health care--with single payer, like other advanced countries.

Carvin contended that the health-care law's individual mandate "obviously compels citizens to engage in a contract with a wealthy corporation,"

So--now Republicans are NOT the party of big corporate money? (even more than the Ds) The individual mandate was originally a Republican idea designed to stop single-payer. I agree with Carvin that if we got wealthy corporations out of the insurance business that we could have cheaper health care--with single payer, like other advanced countries.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 58% of Likely Voters at least somewhat favor repeal of the health care law, including 47% who Strongly Favor repeal. Thirty-eight percent (38%) oppose repeal, with 29% who are Strongly Opposed.

Posted by: screwjob23 | February 2, 2011 4:01 PM
------------------------------------------------
The number of likely voters who favor repeal, from Jan 24, 2011, was 53% (Rasmussen) and, from Jan. 31, 2011, was 58%. That's a big swing, suggesting large error in the Rasmussen surveys. Mainly, voters fear that the PPACA will cause an increase in deficits. If they were really afraid of deficits, they would vote for Democrats, as Republicans have a history of enormous deficits and increasing debt that is unmatched by any Democratic POTUS. In addition the nonpartisan CBO states that the PPACA will not increase deficits. But let's not be confused with facts.

Harry the horse's asp Reid allowed not one single GOP amendment to Obamacare before it was crafted, behind closed and locked doors, by Dims only. Reid who utterly lacks balls, did not repeal the filibuster rule in the Senate, leaving it untouched. Even the craven Reid realizes the Dims are going to lose Senate majority in next year's elections. The Senate will have to vote on Obamacare repeal there is no way that craven Reid can get around it, not with 20 Dim senate seats up for grabs next year.

It is hard to believe that the president wouldn't take this offer:The CEO of IBM offered the Obama administration a free software program that would have cut Medicare and Medicaid fraud by almost a trillion dollars, but he was turned down – twice.
"We could have improved the quality and reduced the cost of the healthcare system by $900 billion...I said we would do it for free to prove that it works. They turned us down, "IBM chairman and CEO Samuel Palmisano said during a Sept. 14, 2010 taping of the Wall Street Journal’s Viewpoints program.
FOX News confirmed that a second meeting between Palmisano and Obama administration officials yielded the same result: "No thanks!" – even though the proffered "fix" would have eliminated 90 percent of the nation’s health care deficit – and cost taxpayers nothing it didn’t perform as guaranteed.
Yet Medicare/Medicaid fraud is still rampant. According to the Manhattan Institute’s Steven Malanga,"abuses of Medicaid (alone) eat up at least 10 percent of the program’s total cost nationwide -- a waste of $30 billion a year. Unscrupulous doctors billing for over 24 hours per day of procedures, phony companies invoicing for phantom services, pharmacists filling prescriptions for dead patients, home health-care companies demanding payment for treating clients actually in the hospital -- on and on the rip-offs go."
Now that Republicans are trying to repeal Obamacare and drastically cut federal spending at the same time, perhaps Palmisano can be persuaded to offer his services again.

YAWN.....someone wake me up when the extremist Republicans decide to do something to help the middle-class instead of their usual playbook of always looking for ways to screw them.

I've got news for the extremist Republican party:

Now that you have some actual power again (the House) you won't be able to get away with spending all of your time throwing verbal bombs at the Dems, going golfing and then hitting the DC cocktail circuit at night every day.

You either CREATE JOBS or you will be gone in 2012 so fast that your heads will spin.

YAWN.....someone wake me up when the extremist Republicans decide to do something to help the middle-class instead of their usual playbook of always looking for ways to screw them.

I've got news for the extremist Republican party:

Now that you have some actual power again (the House) you won't be able to get away with spending all of your time throwing verbal bombs at the Dems, going golfing and then hitting the DC cocktail circuit at night every day.

You either CREATE JOBS or you will be gone in 2012 so fast that your heads will spin.

The GOP used the slogan in the last election "Repeal and replace". We know what "A" is but where is "B"? Before repealing a law that is popular and getting more so, Let's see the alternative that we are supposed to be happy about switching to. The status quo? I don't think so.

How many of the current uninsured will be covered (35m under the Affordable Health Care for America Act)? We all know that the cost of health care is double in the US compared with countries with better care so what percentage of GDP will the GOP alternative cost, (First 10 years and second)? (Current - 17% GDP)

The GOP now says most of the desired features of the current act will be kept. Which one's are they and which will be canceled?

The GOP complains that $500,000 million will be cut from Medicare, but they also want to cut Medicare costs. How can they cut medicare costs and not cut costs at the same time?

They want to cut costs but not jobs, but we want to know how they plan to do this.

We can certainly wait to hear these answers before they repeal the Affordable Health Care for America Act and leave us with a pig in a poke.

BTW, Boehner - You do not have exclusive rights to be the voice of the American people. Millions of American people traditionally stay home during the mid-terms and don't vote. A fake "news" channel put up a smear campaign on your behalf which resulted in a lot of lunatics winning - I'm not sure how that's supposed to be a "win" for the Republican party, by the way, let alone "repudiation" as you referred to it. Are you proud to have repudiated sanity? Clap hands. What did Arlen Specter call you? Cannibals. How proud you must be.

2012 will be a completely different scenario. Boehner. You might want to send your resume to Tov's pizza, perhaps JAck Abramoff can provide you with a recommendation at that juncture.

You can click your orange slippers while you repeat your short-sighted lies all you want, but you have aligned yourself with the likes of Batchit Bachman and have been up Wall Street's pants-leg for so long, that you and all your teabagging buddies are going to end up getting run out on a rail.

It won't be the mid-terms, it will be the year in which everyone votes.

Fox "News" is not legitimate. It's not "fair and balanced". Its president is Roger Ailes. No one in his right mind believes that station has legitimacy.

It's as dirty as the Willie Horton ads Roger Ailes produced back when Lee Atwater was RNC Chair. I recommend to everyone that they rent "Boogie Man: The Lee Atwater Story." I recommend that every Republican congressional representative watch it and pay particular attention to the remorse Mr. Atwater felt as he had time to reflect on what he'd done to win and was nearing the end of his life.

The American people are in need of healthcare reform. We have the higest costs and substandard services, thanks to you and your venal hoard, Boehner.

That fake tan, the minerals and ink that have rubbed off from that bribe money you've pocketed throughout the years, and those free cigarettes you smoke must have made you and your John Birch Society lunatics delusional if you think that mantra you keep singing is somehow going to become true if you keep repeating it - that and Batchit Bachman have "stake-claimed" the voice or the American people.

Open-minded liberals, like most WaPo readers, love activist judges, but then use the term as an epithet once a decision goes the "wrong way."

It's funny how Dick Durbin, nearly as dumb as the Senior Senator from New York who has no clue what the three branches of government are, now points to 12 district court judges who punted when trying to build a numbers game. The truth is that it is shocking that 2 trial court judges out of any sample of 16 actually declared ANYTHING unconstitutional, since that's not what district court judges do. They usually leave that to appellate courts. We have 2 judges who took the bold step of declaring a law unconstitutional, and 1 who took the even bolder step of taking the Administration at its word, and declaring the unconstitutional part unseverable from the larger bill.

Plus, it will only "take a while" to head to SCOTUS if the federal government drags its feet and insists on having more appellate courts review the case. It's inevitable that this will go to SCOTUS. Send it there now. Let them decide it, since theirs is the only view that ultimately matters.

Republicans cannot govern unless it is to start a war, raise their salaries or payoff the guys that sent our jobs overseas. Why worry about healthcare when the Republican Supreme Court has already decided this just like Bush V Gore

Jtgunner;; the cbo only scores what is given to them;; if the info is misleading [which it was], the DOC FIX and the double dip on Medicare, then the numbers are inaccurate, which they are; it was done by Demogogues to keep the bill under Obumbler's trillion dollar ceiling. "You can drag a lib to the truth, but you can not make them believe it".

I guess next they will sue over auto coverage. Republicans cannot govern. I thought the election was about jobs. Healthcare, what a waste of time. The Republican Supreme Court has already decided this issue just like they had Bush v. Gore.

The GOP used the slogan in the last election "Repeal and replace". We know what "A" is but where is "B"? Before repealing a law that is popular and getting more so. Let's see the alternative that we are supposed to be happy about switching to. The status quo? I don't think so.

How many of the current uninsured will be covered (35 million are covered under the Affordable Health Care for America Act)?

We all know that the cost of health care is double in the US compared with countries with better care, so what percentage of GDP will the GOP alternative cost, (First 10 years and the second 10)?(Current cost = 17% GDP)

The GOP now says most of the desired features of the current act will be kept. Which one's are they and which will be canceled? What are the new ones?

The GOP complains that $500,000 million will be cut from Medicare under the current law, but they also want to cut Medicare costs. How can they cut medicare costs and not cut costs at the same time?

They want to cut costs but not jobs (Job killer law?), but we want to know how they plan to do this.

We can certainly wait to hear these answers before they repeal the Affordable Health Care for America Act and leave us with a pig in a poke. What they proposed before only insured about 3 million more and still didn't cost costs significantly.

THE RESULTS will be 55 yeah ---45 nay and Harry Reid leaves the chamber to change his boxers.

Posted by: Nobama11 | February 2, 2011 4:21 PM | Report abuse

=======================================

Even if you're right and I doubt very seriously you are, the President Obama just vetoes the bill and it still ends up in the courts. FYI- you have a better chance of seeing pigs fly then the veto being overturned.

What a waste of time and energy voting to repeal this health care law.

Congress should work on some legislation to help our country which has high unemployment, banks operating under their own rules instead of sensible federal rules, an infrastructure that is actually falling apart, way too much being spent on wars.

The Republicans should quit playing politics and draft, discuss, and vote on some useful laws, which they are there to do in the first place.

libsridiots
That's a really neat screen-name. I bet you thought of it all by yourself. It really shows how smart you are. Now that we know how smart you are, why don't you post your real name, address and telephone number? Then I can come over to your house and have a really smart conversation with you.

Explain to us, right-wing howlers, why you consider it patriotic to support our dysfunctional American health system and its present place, No. 37, among nations of the world? Why is it OK and being 100 percent pro-American to favor a system that, according to the World Health Organization, puts us behind such countries as France, Italy, San Marino, Malta, Portugal, Belgium and the United Arab Emirates?
I get it: You love America. You just don't care about the health of Americans.

Posted by: jimsteinberg1 | February 2, 2011 2:56 PM | Report abuse
--------------------------------------
Because many people do not rely on 11 year old studies which the World Health Organization recognized 7 years ago did not adequately measure health care in the nations, and more measured how socialized a country's medical care system was?

Attention Dims and other nitwits: It is not health care that was repealed, it was Obamacare a national health insurance program that forces everyone to buy health insurance. It was repealed in the House and just ruled unconstitutional. And it got not one Republican vote when it passed.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 58% of Likely Voters at least somewhat favor repeal of the health care law, including 47% who Strongly Favor repeal. Thirty-eight percent (38%) oppose repeal, with 29% who are Strongly Opposed.

Posted by: screwjob23 | February 2, 2011 4:01 PM | Report abuse

=========================================

The poll completely ignores the LARGE percentage that favors repeal and then replace. The percentage of Americans that favor repeal and then do nothing else is currently at 19%. Your post was very misleading.

I love youtube - you can go on and see many the Republicans who voted for the repeal and are jumping for joy about that redneck teabagger judge in Florida also screaming bloody murder in earlier days about "judicial activists".

The only reason we have the mandate is that the health are reform legislation kept trying to reach across the aisle to the Republicans and the Blue Dog Democrats who always vote with the Republicans, and they gave up the Public Option in favor of the mandate as a result.

Here was the Republican Health Care plan in 1993: While President Clinton was pushing for employers to cover their workers in his 1993 bill, John Chafee introduced legislation that instead featured an individual mandate.

Four of those Republican co-sponsors — Orrin Hatch, Charles Grassley, Robert Bennett, and Christopher Bond are in the Senate today.

That was the GOP alternative plan to Clinton's plan.

And that is why, after a year of negotiations we ended up turning what they are referring to as "Obamacare" - which isn't President Obama's proposed legislation - into a REPUBLICAN PLAN.

AND THEY ARE STILL PUTTING IT DOWN.

AND WHY HASN'T ANY ONE OF THEM YET CANCELLED THE "GOVERNMENT HEALTHCARE" INSURANCE THEY ARE ENJOYING ON OUR DIME AND GONE OUT AND BOUGHT PRIVATE HEALTH INSURANCE POLICIES?

The "resolution requesting that the Supreme Court conduct an expedited review of the law" sounds like a good idea. I bet the GOP is afraid of that. Rather than claiming they dislike something because it is unconstitutional, they in reality claim something is unconstitutional because they don't like it.

Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) showed himself to be at least mildly insane when he "criticized an estimate by the the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office that repealing the health care law will increase the deficit by $230 billion." Hey McCain, show us some better projections. Better yet, show us your backside as you permanently leave the Senate.

It's fine for conservatives to oppose the PPACA based on their being opposed to big government programs. And if they would argue from that position, we could have an *honest debate*. But instead, they talk about not believing the nonpartisan CBO cost projections, about death panels. You can't debate lies. And if the PPACA is already so complex, why keep offering amendments to it? Here we go again...the GOP is trying to set this country back 100 years.

I love the way McConnell and Boehner keep saying, "The american people have spoken". To them that means I will do whatever the hell I want to do. They win one election and all of a sudden they think they have a mandate. Fact is polling showed that only 16% of the people said they were giving the Republicans a mandate. The rest want compomise much like they saw during the lame duck session. Republicans were crying jobs, jobs, and more jobs which won them the election and since in power, they have done nothing with jobs. They are wasting their time on something that can't be repealed while the jobs are still an issue. All politics and that is shameful. If the Republicans stall and obstruct over the next two years they should all be voted out.

Why oh why is it that in a state where academic educational measurements are near the bottom of ALL the states and where there is less than 1.4% of the total population of the United States (which actually means that there are less than .7% or 300,000???republicans)does McConnell have such an influence which is so disruptive to the states which really understand and PAY for this universal health care issue. It isn't fair! And I am tired of the unfairness in all of this. Time to take the spotlight away from these morons!

Silly Dims, the House has already repeal Obamacare, a federal court has ruled it unconsitutional, and Dims lost 63 seats in the House because of Obamacare.

Next year 20 Dims are up for election in the Senate, 13 of them for states that voted a Republican majority into Congress last November. A Republicans senator was elected in Barry the incompetent boob Obama's old Senate seat. Good luck with that, Durbin.

Why oh why is it that in a state where academic educational measurements are near the bottom of ALL the states and where there is less than 1.4% of the total population of the United States (which actually means that there are less than .7% or 300,000???republicans)does McConnell have such an influence which is so disruptive to the states which really understand and PAY for this universal health care issue. It isn't fair! And I am tired of the unfairness in all of this. Time to take the spotlight away from these morons!

Why oh why is it that in a state where academic educational measurements are near the bottom of ALL the states and where there is less than 1.4% of the total population of the United States (which actually means that there are less than .7% or 300,000???republicans)does McConnell have such an influence which is so disruptive to the states which really understand and PAY for this universal health care issue. It isn't fair! And I am tired of the unfairness in all of this. Time to take the spotlight away from these morons!

Why oh why is it that in a state where academic educational measurements are near the bottom of ALL the states and where there is less than 1.4% of the total population of the United States (which actually means that there are less than .7% or 300,000???republicans)does McConnell have such an influence which is so disruptive to the states which really understand and PAY for this universal health care issue. It isn't fair! And I am tired of the unfairness in all of this. Time to take the spotlight away from these morons!

Even more interesting, than the bill, is the way it was introduced.
Bills are supposed to originate in the House.
Not this one.
Bills are supposed to go through committees.
Not this one.
This bill is an amendment to another bill.
Can you say Christmas tree.
Can you say pork?
Can you say "earmark"?
This whole thing was devised behind closed doors.
Repeal laws before we read them?
Can we rule ourselves or not?
Clifford Spencer

Well, it's off to the gym. But before I go, I will need to go to the restroom and take an Obama. Hope you liberal losers enjoy your misery. I heard suicide is painless, perhaps it's time you worthless souls try it. Just imagine a world free of liberals. Sounds great, doesn't it. Of course if you owned stock in a antipressant company you might not what to have any more liberals, but the rewards of getting rid of a cancer far outnumber the negatives of having a bunch of ingrates around, always whining like a spoiled child. "IMAGINE.......NO LIBERALS"

Mitt Romney was on TV yesterday. He is the inventor of the mandate in his state but he thinks states have that right but not the federal government.

I was looking forward to having a good republican running that was not a 100 percent no type. But he has passed off my radar screen.

The truly bad news is that the Republicans do not have a plan for creating jobs. Nary a plan except they must think that if they cut taxes companies will start hiring. Hope so, but most likely they will send them to India or China.

We to cut out waste, but we need to revert to the Clinton era tax rates for all of us. Not just the ones making over 250K.

Like or not, Conservatives will have to come up with some sort of health bill. They can get rid of the present bill (maybe), and they can call it socialism all they want to, and jumnp up and down and throw tantrums, too, but the nattion will have some sort of health reform bill.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 58% of Likely Voters at least somewhat favor repeal of the health care law, including 47% who Strongly Favor repeal. Thirty-eight percent (38%) oppose repeal, with 29% who are Strongly Opposed.

If you want a real behind the scenes view then read the following book on health care reform:

The Deadly Spin by Wendell Potter

Wendell Potter is a former head of the PR Department for CIGNA Health whose primary responsibility was engineering the health insurance industry's lobby campaign AGAINST health care reform. It is very eye opening stuff.

Can't these repukes be arrested for their lack of patriotism and wanting to ruin the country just to see Obama fail? They have no shame, no moral, no intelligence. Can't these teabagheadnazilunatics go back to Rip Van Winkle Land? Please awake again when another idiot like that moron w is back.

Posted by: letemhaveit

Based on the last election, we've had enough of Obama and his views of this country. You have to admit defeat lib. There's a reason why liberals are the smallest voting block, while conservatives outnumber you kooks 2 to 1. Most outgrow liberals, so what's your excuse?

When Social Security and Unemployment Insurance were passed by congress and signed into law by the president, both laws were appealed to the supreme court immediately. They were determined by the Supreme Court as constitutional.

This was not done when the Healthcare law passed.

If there were concerns that the law was unconstitutional, why did not someone immediately appeal the Healthcare law to the Supreme Court?

It appears to me that Republicans/Teaparty folks are using this belated appealing in many states to local courts, to go through the entire process to finally arrive at the Supreme Court as a mechanism to get donations from you and me.

If the law was considered constitutional by the congress and a majority voted for it, and the President signed it, why was it not immediately appealed to the supreme court by anyone who had a problem with its constitutionality before it went into effect?

Just askin'

-----------------------------------
Perhaps the law says that you have to go the District Court and the COurt of Appeals first.

Perhaps because the Supreme COurt has no original jurisidiction in these matters.

Perhaps because the cases you describe actually went through the process of the lower courts and did not go directly to the Supreme Court as you may have thought

from the 1937 opinion

On appeal to the Circuit Court of Appeals for the First Circuit, the decree was reversed, one judge dissenting. 89 F.2d 393.

Gee, I know it's easy to make an argument without reading the facts, but it is worth trying.

The Republican Party in its opposition to health care reform is placing the greedy interests of a bevy of super wealthy health insurance executives and their nefarious companies against the best interests of the more than 300 MILLION AMERICAN citizens.

May the GOP rot in hell.

Posted by: ram9478

Got anything new from the liberal playbook loser? How about you eat healthy, exercise daily and put your needs before your wants, and before too long, you will have enough money to afford your OWN health care. It's called being responsible. Perhaps you should google it idiot!

"ASK NOT WHAT YOU CAN DO FOR YOUR COUNTRY, ASK WHAT YOUR COUNTRY CAN DO FOR YOU"-liberal motto

Typical wuss liberal, always whining about your civil rights, yet always last in line to earn them. Perhaps if libs like yourself actually did something positive for this country instead of always looking for a handout, then you wouldn't have this attitude of a spoiled brat always asking "where's mine"? Do yourself a favor and try reading something besides the DailyKook, unless you enjoy making an as$ of yourself!

-LMMFAO!! Whining about civil rights is a trade mark of the democRAT party. Weird how they always go to the black voters at every election, even after they have destroyed the black family, eh kook?

How ignorant are you? The ignorance chart couldn't possibly be big enough to measure your ignorance.
-I'm not the one who thought a incompetent community organizer wouldn't fail as POTUS. And guess what lib, I'm not whining about my health care, nor I'm I expecting the government to run my life. Perhaps you should try it, eh loser?

Can't these repukes be arrested for their lack of patriotism and wanting to ruin the country just to see Obama fail? They have no shame, no moral, no intelligence. Can't these teabagheadnazilunatics go back to Rip Van Winkle Land? Please awake again when another idiot like that moron w is back.

The Republican Party in its opposition to health care reform is placing the greedy interests of a bevy of super wealthy health insurance executives and their nefarious companies against the best interests of the more than 300 MILLION AMERICAN citizens.

One of the biggest lies out there is coming from the GOP right wing A-holes who would spit on any poor or middleclass person is that Obama wants you to buy Government Run Healthcare. What a major lie! Since January 1st I am saving almost 50 dollars a month on my Healthcare.

Posted by: sumo1

Hey idiot, most of the taxes for Obamacare won't take effect from years from now. My guess is you are one of those college students Hussein targeted a few years ago with meaningless chants of CHANGE WE CAN BELIEVE IN. You really have to be a retard to think that the government is going to save you money in the long run. How rich!!

In his opening remarks, Durbin acknowledged the array of opinions surrounding the health-care law, noting that 12 federal judges have dismissed challenges to it, two have found it constitutional and two have found it unconstitutional.

-------------------------------------
Of course, of the first 12 federal judges who dismissed challenges to "it", a closer examination of the list put out by the White House would indicate that in 10 of the 12 cases, the health care law was not in issue, with the other two cases being dismissed on procedural grounds.

Two District Court judged have upheld, one has struck down in part, one has struck down in full, and other judges have dealt with issues in the Health Care Act without dealing with the issue of its constitutionality.

One of the biggest lies out there is coming from the GOP right wing A-holes who would spit on any poor or middleclass person is that Obama wants you to buy Government Run Healthcare. What a major lie! Since January 1st I am saving almost 50 dollars a month on my Healthcare. I have more benefits, lower co-pays etc. It is not Government run. It is one of the best healthplans in the country. I am sick of all the right wingnuts and teabaggers along with their Senators and Congressmen who are outright lying to the American people. Every time they lie, they gain in campaign donations. If these Senators and Congresspeople need to outright lie on their floors and C-Span then they have no right representing anyone in Washington.
This will be an large issue in the next election. And watch how many dishonest people will be turned out.

One of the biggest lies out there is coming from the GOP right wing A-holes who would spit on any poor or middleclass person is that Obama wants you to buy Government Run Healthcare. What a major lie! Since January 1st I am saving almost 50 dollars a month on my Healthcare. I have more benefits, lower co-pays etc. It is not Government run. It is one of the best healthplans in the country. I am sick of all the right wingnuts and teabaggers along with their Senators and Congressmen who are outright lying to the American people. Every time they lie, they gain in campaign donations. If these Senators and Congresspeople need to outright lie on their floors and C-Span then they have no right representing anyone in Washington.
This will be an large issue in the next election. And watch how many dishonest people will be turned out.

TO: ddoiron1 who wrote:
“Social Security and Medicare are both a financial disaster…”

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Republicans try to spin it that way because they want to rob the American People of our retirement money that we’ve been paying into all our working lives.
-Damn you are about as dumb as they come. The only reason why liberals like yourself want SS is because it takes from those that have worked hard all their lives and gives it to little trolls like yourself who have done nothing but whine about being a victim. What's in my wallet is none of your business lib, but of course you were brought up thinking that those who try harder are really mean and greedy, eh kook?

I have a lot of my own personal cash money invested in Social Security, and I’m not going to allow any greedy Republican tell me that I can’t have my money because he sees me having my money as being a “disaster.”

-Hey dips$$t, SS is going to be broke before too long, and the only ones you can whine to are the liberal idiots you elected to office.

Posted by: lindalovejones

Once again Linda you prove that liberalism is a mental disorder. Try getting laid once in a while, because no one should spend their days bitter and miserable-although those are the trade marks of being a PO S liberal. OUCH!!

One of the biggest lies out there is coming from the GOP right wing A-holes who would spit on any poor or middleclass person is that Obama wants you to buy Government Run Healthcare. What a major lie! Since January 1st I am saving almost 50 dollars a month on my Healthcare. I have more benefits, lower co-pays etc. It is not Government run. It is one of the best healthplans in the country. I am sick of all the right wingnuts and teabaggers along with their Senators and Congressmen who are outright lying to the American people. Every time they lie, they gain in campaign donations. If these Senators and Congresspeople need to outright lie on their floors and C-Span then they have no right representing anyone in Washington.
This will be an large issue in the next election. And watch how many dishonest people will be turned out.

Typical wuss liberal, always whining about your civil rights, yet always last in line to earn them. Perhaps if libs like yourself actually did something positive for this country instead of always looking for a handout, then you wouldn't have this attitude of a spoiled brat always asking "where's mine"? Do yourself a favor and try reading something besides the DailyKook, unless you enjoy making an as$ of yourself!

TO: ddoiron1 who wrote:
“Social Security and Medicare are both a financial disaster…”

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Republicans try to spin it that way because they want to rob the American People of our retirement money that we’ve been paying into all our working lives.

Republicans will look at the diamond ring on my finger and say “Oh, your ring is so old, you need a newer, nicer ring. Let me get rid of this one for you” and will turn his back and walk away with your diamond ring.

I have a lot of my own personal cash money invested in Social Security, and I’m not going to allow any greedy Republican tell me that I can’t have my money because he sees me having my money as being a “disaster.”

Well, it may be a disaster if that’s what you wanna call it, but it’s STILL MY MONEY, and I’m not going to give it to the Republicans because Republicans like to call names.

i did not hear you teatards scream about the constitution when Bush played with his unconstitutional abuse of power and slashing our civil rights and making unlawful wars.

Posted by: vwcat

Typical wuss liberal, always whining about your civil rights, yet always last in line to earn them. Perhaps if libs like yourself actually did something positive for this country instead of always looking for a handout, then you wouldn't have this attitude of a spoiled brat always asking "where's mine"? Do yourself a favor and try reading something besides the DailyKook, unless you enjoy making an as$ of yourself!

“I note that in 2008, then-Senator Obama supported a health care reform proposal that did not include an individual mandate because he was at that time strongly opposed to the idea, stating that, ‘If a mandate was the solution, we can try that to solve homelessness by mandating everybody to buy a house.’”

No thanks. Convince a fool against his will, he’ll keep the same opinion still.

Posted by: lindalovejones

Only a fool/idiot (aka-liberal) is in denial that SS, Medicare and Medicaid are going broke, and refuse to admit that every government entitlement program ends up costing billions more than projected. And yet you still think that the wasteful government can run a program better than the private sector. Must be smoking the good stuff, eh loser? But of course when you are dealing with liberals, you are dealing with people who enjoy playing following the leader. Reality sux, eh lib?

What's hysterical about this is that the mandate concept is a Republican idea. Senator "Flip-Flop" McCain espoused the idea in 1992 as a counter to Hillary Clinton's plan. However, how can anybody be surprised, to include Republicans, about anything Senator Flip-Flop says.

2. i live in the midwest. Surprise!
And I see your tea party nincompoops are still cowering over a former Adm. staffer named Van Jones.
What's with you guys and some staffer named jones. What makes you guys cower and quake over some guy who works on a few environmental issues??
Oh, quick hide under your bed. Here come a guy who wants you to keep the parks clean!!!
Be afraid!!!!!!
bwahahahahahahahaha

Posted by: vwcat

Van Jones (the socialist) knows about as much about the environment as Algore knows about the Man Made global warming crisis. lol Ever notice kook that Algore blames every environmental weather forcast on "MADE MADE GLOBAL WARMING", yet is one of the biggest abusers of the environment? Perhaps there's a reason why he refuses to debate a scientist who actually "knows" something about the environment.

The country was forced to pay for out of our hard earned money to pay for both of Bush's illegal wars that did nothing for anyone except cause meyhem and destruction and misery for untold millions against their will.
Where was the teaparty know nothings then?
But, now that a mandate, like car insurance, is proposed so that everyone's health care is kept affordable and making possible for untold millions to have health care and not lose coverage for stupid reasons, the teatards are all in a tither and quaking in their boots, screaming about the constitution.
i did not hear you teatards scream about the constitution when Bush played with his unconstitutional abuse of power and slashing our civil rights and making unlawful wars.

Social Security and Medicare are both a financial disaster-which is so typical of a government run entitlement program. And of course the Kenyan "thinks" that the government can save you more money than the private sector. No wonder he doesn't show us his grades.

Barack Hussein Obama-why affirmative action doesn't work.

Posted by: LibsRidiots
-----------------------------------
Only because Republicans are Lying with their Claims.

No Private Company can provide those services for less money.

Polls show more people wanting Single Payer Medicare than any other Insurance plan.

Republicans ran, in the recent elections, on a platform of creating millions of new well-paying jobs. So far all they have concentrated on is repealing the lives of citizens. Dang these Republicans lie.

Imagine these fascist fools adoring the dictator that moron w who appointed by the supreme court. They prefer that stupid draft dodger to an intelligent and legitimate President who is trying to clean up right wing messes, once again. Kill yourselves you teabagheadnazilunatics.

Libsridiots wrote:
While I am a proud leftist, I am not a tea party loser.
-Nothing more gutless than being a liberal. Time to grow up kook, the 1960's are way over!!

Besides, I'd proudly be happy to be know for being on the left much more then be known for being a clownish tea partier.
-My guess is you have't been to San Fran lately, eh loser? Pelosi, Durbin, Schumer, Boxer, Clinton, Obama, Code Pink, Van Jones, MoveOn, DailyKook-talk about a ship of fools.
--------------------------------------

i'd say the righties are the ones stuck in the 60s. Besides, mr. bengay, i was a child in the 60s.
Still in grade school at the end of them.
Besides, as far as i can tell, most of the righties are of the blue haired brigrade and the ones who were out roaming in the 60s.
the rest of us do not subscribe to the rightwing fantasies of the bengay crowd.
------------------------------------

2. i live in the midwest. Surprise!
And I see your tea party nincompoops are still cowering over a former Adm. staffer named Van Jones.
What's with you guys and some staffer named jones. What makes you guys cower and quake over some guy who works on a few environmental issues??
Oh, quick hide under your bed. Here come a guy who wants you to keep the parks clean!!!
Be afraid!!!!!!
bwahahahahahahahaha

Wow the fans of that moron w have awakened after being asleep for an eternity. Go back to sleep you idiots adult supervision is required to undo the damage caused by that moron w. Why do the teabagheadnazilunatics prefer their leaders like the corpse-like mcconnell and so stupid and immoral to boot. Go back to the grave you losers you.

When is the last time, that Congress so quickly voted to repeal a law that was passed less a year before? This health care bill and its' proponents are total losers. Go, ahead Dems...vote to keep it and we will be sure that you are in a permanent minority for the rest of the decade!

Before you right wing nuts start having orgasms over the Pensacola judge's ruling consider a few facts. More federal judges have dismissed these suits against health care reform than have found them unconstitutional. Also, social security Medicare and the Civil Rights Act were found unconstitutional by lower court numnuts.

Posted by: wrw01011

Social Security and Medicare are both a financial disaster-which is so typical of a government run entitlement program. And of course the Kenyan "thinks" that the government can save you more money than the private sector. No wonder he doesn't show us his grades.

Freedom is not being put to death panels like the insurance companies presently do.
Freedom is knowing you have affordable health care and will not be subjected to being thrown off for the crime of getting sick or because you are 2 CENTS short on your precious payment to the insurance greedy CEOS.
Freedom is not being ruled by greedy CEOS rule the country.
or listening to idiot tea partiers.

While I am a proud leftist, I am not a tea party loser.
-Nothing more gutless than being a liberal. Time to grow up kook, the 1960's are way over!!

Besides, I'd proudly be happy to be know for being on the left much more then be known for being a clownish tea partier.
-My guess is you have't been to San Fran lately, eh loser? Pelosi, Durbin, Schumer, Boxer, Clinton, Obama, Code Pink, Van Jones, MoveOn, DailyKook-talk about a ship of fools.

They just refuse to acknowledge that they are largely regarded as ignorant jokes by the most of the country
-which is why you lost the last election, eh lib?

Before you right wing nuts start having orgasms over the Pensacola judge's ruling consider a few facts. More federal judges have dismissed these suits against health care reform than have found them unconstitutional. Also, social security Medicare and the Civil Rights Act were found unconstitutional by lower court numnuts.

The United States pays more per capita for health care, in costs and percentage of income, than any other major industrialized nation. How did this come about? Health insurance companies operated under very loose regulations. No one made any effort to control costs because it was said that the US had the best health care system in the world. But even if that were true in the past, it is no longer true. Our maternal and infant mortality rates are far worse than other industrialized nations. Don't like that? How about life expectancy? Our life expectancies are getting shorter, and they were already shorter than in many other nations. And all the ACA set out to do was lay out a program that would get some control over the costs by regulating health insurance companies more closely and reducing the number of uninsured people whose care still had to be paid for. And what do conservatives raise against this? They don't want anyone forced to buy insurance they should be carrying anyway--just out of enlightened self-interest. The clear solution to that is single payer, which has brought down costs with no compromise in care in other industrialized nations. (And by the way, every Canadian I know of in the US retains Canadian citizenship, just so that they can buy minimal US insurance to cover emergencies and still use their Canadian health care for less urgent problems.

Explain to us, right-wing howlers, why you consider it patriotic to support our dysfunctional American health system and its present place, No. 37, among nations of the world? Why is it OK and being 100 percent pro-American to favor a system that, according to the World Health Organization, puts us behind such countries as France, Italy, San Marino, Malta, Portugal, Belgium and the United Arab Emirates?
I get it: You love America. You just don't care about the health of Americans.

TO: jim000122 who wrote:
“Hey liberals, it's unconstitutional!
… Don't try to push healthcare down the throats of 65% of the population …”

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
It’s NOT unconstitutional in my State, it’s only unconstitutional if Big Insurance offers the judge a payoff for his “unconstitutional” ruling.

I’d think LYING US INTO WAR is more unconstitutional than providing American Citizens with affordable and sensible health care options.

65% of the “Republican” population might not like HCR if that’s what you think, but you Republicans, they only deal with “fuzzy numbers” and don’t actually consider any REAL facts.

Posted by: lindalovejones

LMAO!! A loony toon lib talking about facts. Too funny. Hey kook, when's the last time a government entitlement program was more cost effective and provided better care than the private sector. Damn lib, you are still are as dumb as they come-which means your a priority for the Kenyan.

While I am a proud leftist, I am not a tea party loser.
Besides, I'd proudly be happy to be know for being on the left much more then be known for being a clownish tea partier.
They just refuse to acknowledge that they are largely regarded as ignorant jokes by the most of the country

I agree with my senator: let the court decide.
they may be rightwing activists but, one lone moderate will be the deciding voice and he will not be swayed by politics.
it's time to have the issues subjected to unbiased views and to kick strict ideology to the curb.
We the people deserve and have a right to affordable health care that is not subjected to the whims of the markets and the greedy

"Obama demands that a foreign sovereign nation move quickly..... but no such demands on his own subordinates."

I take exception to the word "subordinates" in this case. Elected leaders work for the American citizen voters in this country. Subordinate is better applied to countries where the citizens are at the mercy of the government.

Computer_Forensics_Expert_Computer_Expert_Witness writes, above, his wish to "screw" me and other Americans who fail to devote our lives to becoming wealthy.

So much for fellow feeling, belief in God, the Bible, Old Testament, New Testament, Hindu, Muslim, other religions and their teaching that there is something more important than Computer-Forensics-Expert-Computer-Expert-Witness and his dogged, heartless quest for personal wealth.

Durbin has already been targeted for defeat in 2012. It's his support for Obamacare and the Dream Act that has caused the IL Republican party to put forth a determined effort to unseat him. Good luck to Illinois!

"This is not some semantic lawyer's trick, something we came up with in response to the health care act," Carvin said. "It's a core principle that goes to the most basic constitutional freedoms and the limits on federal enumerated powers."

"Interesting how much Republicans want to repeal a health care law that was taken from a 1994 REPUBLICAN proposal"
---------------------------------------
Why is it interesting? The VAST majority of Repubs laughed it off the Hill then. Same as today.

Posted by: gschultens "I live in Ontario, which has among the highest cancer survival rates the world."
---------------------------------------
The USA has the highest cancer survival rates, in the ENTIRE world...

Interesting how much Republicans want to repeal a health care law that was taken from a 1994 REPUBLICAN proposal, and that Mitt Romney also used as a basis for his Massachusetts law.

If you need any kind of gauge to tell you just how far the GOP has lurched to the right in recent years, this is it. They now consider their party to have been "socialist" just 15 or so years ago. What will these extremists be like in another ten years?

The GOP is hanging on to health care because they have no other answers to none of our problems. Is it hard for them to explain what their answer is about jobs, jobs, wake up people it's not a priority to this party. The GOP has two arguments, health care and Obama's birth place. GO FIGURE

Sooo ... Is McConnell proposing congress take a pay cut, giving up all life time health and pension benefits, ability to keep campaign donations for personal use ... just what is McConnell proposing besides taking away health care reform for Americans?

Of course the Dems are going to stop the repeal effort. They'd rather wait and be embarrassed by the Supreme Court. The ruling should come just in time for the 2012 State of the Union. Perfect timing for Obama to chastise the court again.

The GOP is hanging on to health care because they have no other answers to none of our problems. Is it hard for them to explain what their answer is about jobs, jobs, wake up people it's not a priority to this party. The GOP has two arguments, health care and Obama's birth place. GO FIGURE

I've watched the discourse over healthcare in my native United States, and am glad that, here in Canada, we've put this argument behind us long ago when we implemented a single-payer health insurance system. I live in Ontario, which has among the highest cancer survival rates the world.

The result of having this single-payer system is that healthcare takes up about 10% of our GNP, compared to the U.S.'s 18%. And, we have longer lifespans, lower infant and maternal mortality and NO ONE UNINSURED!!! And, no one is a pink slip away from no insurance coverage.

When I, or any Canadian, requires medical care or a visit to a doctor of my choice, we present our health card and the single-payer health system pays the charge.

My father-in-law recently died of cancer in his '80's and all throughout his illness he received timely and comprehensive medical care and personal support. I am going in for a knee replacement in May, at a time that could have been scheduled much earlier. I chose a later date so that the surgery would not interfere with my work requirements.

Unfortunately, the U.S. now has the highest-cost model for delivery of healthcare in the world, but with outcomes that are far down the list for developed countries. One of the big factors is the private health insurance companies that suck up about 30% of health insurance dollars in their apparatus dedicated to either 1.) denying initial coverage ("pre-existing conditions", etc.) or 2.) denying payment. In other words, the death panels are in the private sector.

As well, the private health insurers have little interest in cost-containment, as the just pass increasing costs on to the insured and their employers.

The Canadian system is not perfect, but it is much, much better than the distorted view of it portrayed by the right-wing noise machine in the U.S. and its Republican Party.

This HC bill never was reviewed in the committees to see if any of it was constitutional that is normally done, before passing it out of committee. Now the dems in the senate are holding committee meeting to see if it is constitutional. It is very much like the trillion dollar stimulus that has shovel ready jobs, no one check it until last year, then we found out there was no shovel ready jobs. It was to important for the dems to pass it, they didn't care about doing it right, but getting it done. Now 26 states don't like the mandate that will cost each state billions. Where are these state suppose to get these billions?

Almost all our friends and almost all our enemies long ago recognized the distructive power of out-of-control health care costs and the morality of covering even the poorest citizen. Moral failure is not too strong a phrase for our sins of ommision. A new health care system should have been in place decades ago. In 1991 both Taiwan and Switzerland established universal healthcare systems. They had the courage and the foresight to tackle the problem before it destroyed their way of life. Not so here. Unless you have been living in a cave you may have noticed that America is in serious decline, a swift downward spiral of our own making. The Affordable Care Act, a product of an undemocratic process requiring 60 out 100 votes to get anything passed, is too weak and too late.

Almost all our friends and almost all our enemies long ago recognized the distructive power of out-of-control health care costs and the morality of covering even the poorest citizen. Moral failure is not too strong a phrase for our sins of ommision. A new health care system should have been in place decades ago. In 1991 both Taiwan and Switzerland established universal healthcare systems. They had the courage and the foresight to tackle the problem before it destroyed their way of life. Not so here. Unless you have been living in a cave you may have noticed that America is in serious decline, a swift downward spiral of our own making. The Affordable Care Act, a product of an undemocratic process requiring 60 out 100 votes to get anything passed, is too weak and too late.

The GOP could always do what Gov. "Goodhair" and the Republican Ledg is doing here in Texas -- cut funding for the elderly and poor children. Let's just throw grandma out of the nursing home and into the street. That should appeal to Republicans and Tea Partiers alike.

I guess we will see how political the Supreme Court is when they try to find unconstitutional a health care bill that protects children with pre-existing conditions from being denied health care. That allows young adults to stay on their parents'health insurance; that fills in the "donut hole" for seniors with their prescription drugs. By the time this gets to the Supreme Court U.S. citizens will have enjoyed the excellent protections offered by this bill.
Won't it be fun to see the Supreme Court take that all away? I'd like to see that happen and then see what happens to the republicans in the next election cycle.

When Social Security and Unemployment Insurance were passed by congress and signed into law by the president, both laws were appealed to the supreme court immediately. They were determined by the Supreme Court as constitutional.

This was not done when the Healthcare law passed.

If there were concerns that the law was unconstitutional, why did not someone immediately appeal the Healthcare law to the Supreme Court?

It appears to me that Republicans/Teaparty folks are using this belated appealing in many states to local courts, to go through the entire process to finally arrive at the Supreme Court as a mechanism to get donations from you and me.

If the law was considered constitutional by the congress and a majority voted for it, and the President signed it, why was it not immediately appealed to the supreme court by anyone who had a problem with its constitutionality before it went into effect?

McConnell, how about focusing on creating jobs. One second you talk about how the bill is killing jobs, the next you talk about how the bill will affect the future because many of the most important provisions go into affect in 2014. J_O_B_S...J_O_B_S.

Try attaching the repeal to the coming vote to increase the debt ceiling if you are serious. It would also be nice to have a real CBO number on this law - one that figures in the cost of NOT cutting 500 Billion from Medicare or implementing the 'Doc Fix'.

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